Hero and True American Patriot: Rear Admiral Philip Dur
Rear Admiral (RADM, 2-star)
Philip Dur was this month's speaker at The Ft Walton Yacht Club. Members and
guests of the Okaloosa County Republican Club sat enthralled by his speech and the
depth of knowledge which covered a wide range of historical subjects and contemporary
insights. He mentioned feeling at home among a group of like-minded patriotic Americans.
He applauded all those who served
during the Cold War (1945–1991), the last war that America won. His speech was
peppered with insights into the past, but his primary focus was on the dangerous
future we face.
Philip Dur was born to a diplomat
and spent most of his early years overseas. He was
educated in the United States, earning undergraduate degrees in international
studies followed by a PhD from Harvard. As a 33-year-old commander
in the United States Navy, he briefed President Ronald Reagan every day for 30
minutes for months. He thought of the President as a genuine American, brave
with love for this country and its people that knew no bounds. He believes this
country needs such a leader with Reagan's stature to take us through the
troubled times ahead.
He served our nation and the Navy for 30
years at the height of the Cold War and in its aftermath as the Navy struggled
to redefine itself in the post-Soviet era world. RADM Dur's career
as a surface warfare officer—with a specialization in national policy—took him through a series
of exceptional assignments ashore and afloat, where he was both a witness to
history—and had a hand in shaping its
course.
RADM Dur provided a front-row seat to some of
the pivotal events in our nation's history: from the Israeli attack on the USS
Liberty during the Arab-Israeli War in 1967 to the high-stakes diplomacy as an
advisor to President Ronald Reagan during
the Beirut Crisis of 1983. He was
also a participant in the last great act of the Cold War with the Black Sea
bumping incident between a Soviet frigate and the ship Dur was commanding—the
USS Yorktown.
As a Flag officer, he was the chief architect
of the Navy's strategy. Admiral Dur's story provides a concise description of
the Navy's role in the Cold War from the 1960s to its end with the fall of the
Soviet Union. His seat at the table during most of the critical events of that
period offers an insightful perspective of policy formation and execution. His
insights are vital to understanding how the United States dealt with the complex
issues in maintaining a fragile peace with the Soviet
Union, which is again headline news.
RADM Dur is a highly decorated military officer, including
the Defense Distinguished Service
Medal, the Navy Distinguished Service
Medal, the Defense Superior
Service Medal and many others. Some people in
the audience are old enough to remember
the headlines of numerous events from the Cold War era, but Admiral
Dur offered us "The Rest of the Story." He
stressed understanding the importance of freedom of choice and limits of
government, and the limits of governance.
He stressed that the most critical role of government is the
defence of the American people. It is a defence against foreign and internal
threats—crimes against persons and property rampant in this country today. It
is essential to focus on the uncertainty and dangerous future ahead. We live in
a far more dangerous situation than the one inherited at the end of World War II.
As someone completely unfamiliar with the workings of the
Navy, his commanding two great warships—a destroyer and a cruiser—was mind-boggling
and fascinating. His stories caused his audience to sit on the edge of their
seats, wanting more. His book “Between Land and Sea” is remarkable. A true
American hero that I am blessed to call a friend.
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